Adapt and adjust
The Natural History Museum is a part of the University of Oslo and consists of the Botanical Garden and the museum buildings in the district of Tøyen. For more than 200 years, the museum has managed and disseminated natural science. The museum now houses Norway’s largest natural science collection.
Category→
Art & Culture
Work→
Strategy, Visual identity, Wayfinding
Awards→
Type Directors Club, Art Directors Club, Gullblyanten, Visuelt, European Design Awards
Client→
Naturhistorisk museum
Background
The Natural History Museums greatest challenge has been to convey their broad collection to the audience, which both contains dinosaurs, perennials, mounted animals and topics related to climate change. In other words the museum have had a hard job balancing between family-activities, botanical enthusiasts and heavy science. The project aimed to both secure the Natural History Museum as an independent sender and brand, at the same time as the new profile would make the museum a natural part of UiO’s many museums and institutions.
Documentation photo
Jan Khür (Abrakadabra)
Adaptation
With a vast collection, it was key to make a system where the visuals easily could adapt to the exhibition, event or content. Much like all things biological adapts to their surroundings, the logo itself became an adaptive element that relates to the message.
Logo as image, image as logo
Where it previously has been a focus on the various departments in the communication of the museum, the new identity provides a clearer sender at the same time as the scope for in-house differentiation has increased. The sturdiness of the N-shaped logo allows the content completing it to be gesticulated in multiple ways. Illustrated, painted, animated or photographed. This gives the museum a wide range of possibilities for tailoring its exhibitions and events.
